A recent paper in Nutrition and Diabetes found that eating pasta as a component of the Mediterranean diet in Italy was negatively associated with BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio.

Yes, eating pasta meant people had smaller waists and weighed less.

What gives?

The key with any food, really, isn’t color. It’s portion sizes. Pasta falls in this category—as does cereal, bread, and pizza.

You’ve heard the saying that “the poison is in the dose?”

With any of these mentioned above, the key is to avoid the normal “American portion” and instead use “white foods” as a side. Then balance the rest of your plate with other colorful vegetables, fruit, and protein.

(In need of some healthy meal ideas? Pick up a copy of the Guy Gourmet Cookbook from Men’s Health. It’s loaded with 150 power-packed breakfasts, fast dinners, and big-batch meals you have to try.)

“Pasta is an excellent vehicle to get people to eat other nutrient-rich foods, like pulses, vegetables and fresh herbs,” says Frances Largeman-Roth, R.D.N., author of The Carb Lovers Diet and Eating in Color.

Use “white” foods like pasta and bread as a part of your plate, not the focus of the meal. Balance your meal with a proper portion among lean protein and vegetables by using them as the vehicle for added nutrition.

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